Could House chairman oversee his own re-election inquiry?

11/7/12 1:13 PM EST

Bet they didn't see this one coming when they were writing the rulebook.

If Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) and Democrat Ami Bera end up contesting their close election before the House of Representatives, the committee that Lungren now chairs would be in line to do the leg work and report back to the House on who should be seated. Under House rules, the Committee on House Administration has jurisdiction over contested elections and "federal elections generally."

Right now, Bera leads Lungren by 184 votes with all precincts reporting, but the race hasn't yet been called.

A contested election is still a long way off, and it seems obvious that Lungren wouldn't be able to oversee a fight over his own qualification to serve in the House. Among other things, he would not be a member of the House — and therefore couldn't be chairman of the committee — if he were contesting a Bera victory. But his aides could still be running the show behind the scenes. Among the secondary options for House Republican leaders: They could appoint a special committee. House Administration Committee aides did not immediately return a request for comment.